Modern Icons: The Barcelona Couch
Mies van der Rohe's Sleek, Low-Profile Daybed Works in Any Room
If you are a fan of Mad Men, the piece of furniture I'm about to show you may remind you of Betty Draper chain smoking at her therapist's office while lounging atop it. This iconic daybed was designed by Bauhaus master Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and is called The Barcelona Couch. Mies started this line in 1929 to furnish his iconic modern building, the German Pavilion at the Barcelona International Exposition, but the Barcelona couch was not designed until a year later.
Architect Philip Johnson was instrumental in helping the Barcelona couch gain popularity, using it first in his New York City apartment, and later making it a star in The Glass House in New Canaan, Conn. Philip Johnson's Glass House is now run by The National Trust for Historic Preservation from May-November; check out theglasshouse.org for more information.
I imagine the daybed would have looked smashing in the original pavilion; it's a shame Mies hadn't designed it in time. Even though the exposition ended decades ago, you can visit the pavilion, or at least a recreation of it built in 1959 in Barcelona.
The daybed's low profile keeps spectacular views of Lake Michigan open. This apartment is in one of Mies's iconic Lake Shore Drive apartment buildings in Chicago.
I wish I had a nickel for each time I've spied a Barcelona couch on a modern house tour. This one was in a contemporary condominium in Atlanta. This room shows how well it can work with a variety of furniture styles; a burled wood coffee table works with it just as well as a more expected chrome and glass table would.
This daybed can transform a tight office or library space into a guest room.
A range of colors are available; this caramel leather version is a warm piece that blends in with other furnishings; it stands out more in black or white.
This room is an ode to Mies, with a wink to Frank Gehry.
It's no surprise that the tufting pattern creates a grid, as the grid was the basis for Mies's modern architectural masterpieces.
A white version with coordinating Barcelona chairs is a good choice for this light-filled contemporary penthouse. I wonder if they have a view of the Seagram Building, a Mies/Johnson masterpiece.
The piece works very well in versatile spaces, providing boundaries and a variety of uses. This room also contains a few other icons you might want to learn more about: Eileen Gray's side table, and Arne Jacobsen's Egg Chair.
A pair of Barcelona chairs and a Barcelona couch create an extra seating area in this large and minimal bedroom. Their low profiles keep the views open.
Barcelona Daybed by Mies van de Rohe | CA Modern Home
While many cheap knockoffs exist, a licensed Barcelona Couch is manufactured by Knoll, and will be marked as such. Consider the purchase similar to purchasing a piece of art.
More: Modern Icons: The Barcelona Chair
Flexible Furnishings: Great Ways With Daybeds
Modern Icons: Marcel Breuer's Wassily Chair
More: Modern Icons: The Barcelona Chair
Flexible Furnishings: Great Ways With Daybeds
Modern Icons: Marcel Breuer's Wassily Chair
